Editors’ Choice Mountain Bikes

Value Hardtail (Women’s): Scott Contessa Scale 910

6 / 8

This playful model has a balanced blend of stability and speed. That makes it ideal for new mountain bikers who want a forgiving platform to learn on, but don't want to be held back when they’re ready to tackle more challenging terrain. When pushed hard, the Scale clung to the trail and responded quickly, like an XC race bike. It is slightly more expensive than the other two finalists, but the bike’s smoother fork makes the extra cost worthwhile.